Federal policy on the urban island heat island effect is a sorely missing piece of the puzzle to cool our cities, according to the CRC for Low Carbon Living chief executive Professor Deo Prasad.

Professor Prasad joined experts at last week’s Cooling Cities National Forum in Sydney to debate how to tackle the growing urban heat island effect problem, and to launch a new national guide on urban cooling strategies.

Australia's first national guide designed to keep city dwellers cooler during hot weather by helping landscape architects, urban designers, planners, local authorities, government agencies and developers mitigate urban heat islands and microclimates created by cities, was launched at the CRC for Low Carbon Living's (CRCLCL) Cooling Cities National Forum.

Our cities were designed for a world of the past. Private cars now clog our streets during peak hour and most daylight hours on weekends. Some Asian cities are jammed 24/7. So what should we do? Build more roads? Or build for the fast changes which are happening. Ride share and autonomous vehicles may dramatically reduce the vehicle fleet. The adoption of rooftop solar demonstrates how fast change can occur. Listen to the full episode here

Prepared by the CRC for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL), the Guide to Urban Cooling Strategieswill help town planners, regulatory agencies, architects and developers mitigate urban heat islands and microclimates created by cities.

Australia’s first national guide designed to keep city dwellers cooler during hot weather by helping landscape architects, urban designers, planners, local authorities, government agencies and developers mitigate urban heat islands and microclimates created by cities, was launched today at the CRC for Low Carbon Living’s (CRCLCL) Cooling Cities National Forum.

Household energy use is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. International policy is firmly moving towards technology-rich, low- and near-zero-energy homes. That is, buildings designed to reduce the need for additional heating, cooling and lighting. They use efficient or renewable energy technology to reduce the remaining energy use.

Read about our partnership with ASBEC and ClimateWorks on a project aimed at "develop[ing] an industry-led, evidence-based pathway for the adoption of ambitious long-term targets for the energy performance requirements in the National Construction Code."

A new report by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) says Australia’s energy efficiency policy and regulation is not keeping up with market realities and best practices in other OECD countries, and has called for a comprehensive review to help Australia transition rapidly to the economically attractive low-carbon built environment of the future.

Today, at the CRC for Low Carbon Living’s (CRCLCL's) Regenerative Cities National Forum, urban ecologist Professor Herbert Girardet praised Australia and the CRCLCL for its low carbon living laboratory projects in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, saying they will help advance this important practice.